Côte Rôtie, Cornas,Hermitage, Chateauneuf du Pape...

I think unquestionably the finest vintage of this cuvee to date, the 2015 Cote Rotie la Chatillonne Cote Blonde is a total powerhouse beauty that sports an inky purple color as well as fabulous notes of crème de cassis, licorice, graphite, black raspberries and crushed rocks. Possessing extravagant richness, a thick, unctuous texture, sweet tannin and a great finish, it should drink well for at least 10-15 years.

The 2015 Côte Rôtie Côte Blonde La Chatillonne checks in as a blend of 88% Syrah and 12% Viognier, all from the La Chatillonne lieu-dit in the northern part of the Côte Blonde lieu-dit, that spent two years in barrel. This heavenly Côte Rôtie is blockbuster stuff on every level and boasts a killer nose of black raspberries, cured meats, graphite, and dried flowers. Full-bodied, beautifully concentrated and voluptuous on the palate, it has sweet tannin, no hard edges, and incredible length. It’s a tour de force that’s going to keep for two decades or more.

Rich, deep and layered, the 2015 Cornas Vieilles Vignes has it all. Big fruit allied to spicy complexity? Check. Ample tannins that are fully ripe? Check. A finish that extends for days? Check. Oh, you want details? Hints of brown sugar, savory spices and roast meat accent black berry and plum fruit, and while the mid-palate is dense and tannic, those tannins actually turn more supple and approachable on the lingering finish.

Brilliant purple. A highly perfumed bouquet displays ripe, mineral-tinged black and blue fruit, potpourri and incense qualities. Fleshy and expansive on the palate, offering densely packed yet energetic boysenberry, candied licorice and violet flavors enlivened by an undercurrent of juicy acidity. Smoothly blends richness and finesse and closes extremely long and youthfully tannic, leaving behind sexy floral pastille and dark berry liqueur notes.

From a scorcher of a vintage that had tiny yields, the 2017 Crozes Hermitage Domaine De Thalabert offers a deep purple color as well as a classic Thalabert bouquet of black fruits, black olive, iodine, and peppery herbs. It’s a rich, rounded, sumptuous beauty that has plenty of sweet fruit, moderate tannins, and a great finish. It’s not going to match the 2015, but it’s a rocking wine I’d be thrilled to drink.

This terroir always delivers a wild, opulent, gamey style of wine, and the 2017 Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert doesn’t disappoint. Loads of chocolaty black fruits, ground pepper, truffle, and smoked game, as well as a hint of black olives, emerge from the glass, and it’s medium to full-bodied, has a rocking texture, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It’s a classic example of this wine and terroir. Drink it over the coming 15 years or so.

Inky ruby. Deep-pitched dark berry preserve, licorice pastille and floral aromas are joined by peppery spice and olive nuances in the background. Sappy and focused on the palate; concentrated bitter cherry and cassis flavors are given backbone and cut by juicy acidity. A smoky nuance comes out on the strikingly long, dark fruit-dominated finish, where gently chewy, harmonious tannins provide shape.

Cask sample. Tasted blind. Dark purple. Great intensity and vibrancy. Fine, grainy tannins and lots of intensity. Great freshness and cleanliness too. Promises very well. Flamboyant but convincing.

The 2015 Hermitage, from the lieux-dits of Les Beaumes and Péleat, was aged entirely in new demi-muids. It's a full-bodied, rich wine that retains a sense of freshness with its mouthwatering flavors of cassis, blackberries and blueberries accented by hints of espresso, crushed stone and licorice. Nearly approachable now, it also shows some firm tannins on the finish, suggesting two decades of longevity. The soft-spoken Yann Chave owns 18.5 hectares in Crozes-Hermitage, all of which are in the area of Chassis, a terroir of galets roulés and red clays. He also has 1.2 hectares in Hermitage, in the lieux-dits of Les Beaumes and Péleat. Viticulture has been organic since 2007. He points out that 2014 and 2016 are better for whites than 2015, which he calls, "too heavy." For the reds, he says he loves 1999 and he thinks 2015 is a repeat of that fabulous vintage.

A wine that doesn’t get the recognition it deserves (probably because it’s made in tiny quantities), the inky colored 2015 Hermitage from Yann Chave comes all from the Les Beaumes lieu-dit and was completely destemmed and brought up in demi-muids. It is a rich, concentrated, yet structured Hermitage that's going to require patience. Cassis, saddle leather, peppery herbs and scorched earth give way to a beautifully balanced, pure and focused 2015 that has plenty of raw material, yet isn't going to be much fun to drink in its youth.

Aged in demi-muids, the 2019 Gigondas Clovis Saurel is a selection of old-vine Grenache and Mourvèdre from clay soils. Compared with the other wines in the lineup, the cedar and vanilla shadings are noticeable but in other contexts wouldn't be considered obtrusive. Notes of ripe plum, black cherry, blueberry, black olive and licorice predominate. Full-bodied and velvety, this is plusher and richer on the palate than the other cuvées at Saint Damien, with a generous, lingering finish. Flat-out yummy now, it also has the potential to age well for a decade or more.

Lastly, the 2019 Gigondas Clovis Saurel is named after the founder of this domaine and is a selection from the best vines and terroirs. Its deeper purple hue is followed by a gorgeous perfume of darker berry fruits, ground pepper, graphite, spicy garrrigue, and stunning minerality. Reminding me of the 2016, this is serious juice that offers full-bodied richness, a deep, dense mid-palate, silky tannins, and a great, great finish. Don't miss it!

Gorgeous stuff, the 2019 Gigondas Clovis Saurel is reminscent of Grand Cru Red Burgundy grown in the south. A selection of older vines of Grenache and Mourvèdre, it offers an elegant, medium to full-bodied style that just glides across the palate with silky, ultra-fine tannins, and perfect balance, and while it's not massive, it builds beautifully with time in the glass and has plenty of structure and length. More red-fruited aromatically, with notes of wild strawberries, framboise, Provençal garrigue, wildflowers, and hints of white pepper, it's complex, layered, nuanced, and just a joy to drink. It's approachable today but truly needs 4-5 years of bottle age. It should drink fabulously well over the following decade.

Again my pick of the various cuvées, the 2016 Gigondas La Louisiane looks potentially the equal of the 2015 when tasted from foudre. Hints of cola and mocha on the nose add dark nuances to the big, ripe raspberry fruit. There's plenty of acid and tannin to support aging here.

The 2016 Gigondas Cuvee Louisiana is more elegant and finesse-driven when tasted side by side with the La Souteyrade cuvee. Offering notes of blueberries, violets, lavender and flowers, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, serious depth of fruit, ripe tannin and a big finish.

The 2016 Gigondas La Louisiane is looking a bit more structured and tannic than it did last year. It's full-bodied, rich and creamy across the mid-palate, then firms up adding hints of licorice and chocolate along the way. It does have the ripe stone fruit and berry notes to sustain it over time, so give it a couple of years (maybe even four or five) to relax and unwind that tightness on the finish. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.

Deeply colored, the 2016 Gigondas La Louisiane comes from single vineyard on the lower plain, not far from the estate, and is 80% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, and the balance Syrah and Cinsault. It offers a classic bouquet of dark berry fruits, peppery herbs, garrigue, and obvious minerality. Reminding me of the 2010 with its pure, straight style, it’s full-bodied and elegant on the palate, and is going to benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age.

The 2020 Cotes du Rhone Coudoulet de Beaucastel continues this cuvée's hot streak. A blend of approximately 30% each Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah, with 10% Carignan, it boasts attractive floral overtones, hints of crushed stone and ripe cherry fruit. Full-bodied and impressively silky for such a young wine, it should be drinkable upon release and for at least a decade thereafter.

A year-in, year-out winner, the 2020 Côtes Du Rhône Coudoulet De Beaucastel offers outstanding quality as well as classic notes of darker fruits, roasted herbs, truffly earth, and some meaty, peppery, gamey nuances. With wonderful purity of fruit, ripe tannins, and a balanced, elegant mouthfeel, it will have over a decade of longevity.

Coming all from very old vine Grenache and brought up in tank, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Imperiale offers a smoking bouquet of vivid black raspberry and cassis intermixed with lots of flowery incense, licorice, and spring flowers. Reminding me of a Grand Cru Red Burgundy on the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, has a vibrant, tight, focused texture, polished tannins, and beautifully integrated acidity. It’s one classy Châteauneuf du Pape that will evolve for two decades.

The flagship is the Grenache-dominated 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Imperiale, which comes from vines planted in 1902 and was destemmed and aged in concrete tanks. Awesome notes of blackberries, blueberries, crushed rocks, violets, and graphite all emerge from this tight, full-bodied, concentrated and backward Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Possessing incredible purity of fruit, a concentrated yet fresh, structured profile, and a huge finish, it just needs time to shine.